tyrannize

verb

Definition of tyrannizenext
as in to oppress

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of tyrannize Among his memorable leading performances were roles as an explosive Marine pilot who tyrannizes his family in The Great Santini (1979) and as a fading, alcoholic country singer in Tender Mercies (1983), which won him a Best Actor Oscar. — The Week Us, TheWeek, 24 Feb. 2026 There would be plenty to celebrate if Iranians successfully replaced the Islamist regime that has tyrannized them for 45 years. — Jason D. Greenblatt, semafor.com, 18 June 2025 The driving force behind these antics is a tyrannizing uncertainty. — Andrew Kay, Harpers Magazine, 28 May 2025 The mechanics of Shakespeare’s plot — unfolding first in rigid, tyrannized Sicilia and then in pastoral, sunnier Bohemia — hinge on our rooting for the characters Leontes so cruelly censures. — Peter Marks, Washington Post, 22 Nov. 2023 Saddam Hussein tyrannized Iraq for 12 years after his troops were routed in Kuwait in 1991. — Daniel Treisman, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2022 In the process, these majority ethnic coalitions tyrannize and marginalize other groups, particularly those that are not members of the coalition. — John Mukum Mbaku, Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2021 In Portsmouth, Virginia, cops have been systematically using their state power to tyrannize political enemies. — Alex Pareene, The New Republic, 28 Aug. 2020
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tyrannize
  1. oppress
  2. dominate
  3. dictate
  4. domineer
  5. regulate
Verb
  • At the sectarian level, Baptists ridiculed Quakers, Presbyterians oppressed Anabaptists.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Look what women can do when they’re not abused, oppressed, and angry about being abused and oppressed!
    — Ben Travers, IndieWire, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of oppress
Verb
  • Apple and Samsung also continue to dominate the smartphone market.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The problem for Weiss and the new leadership is that the US’ relationship with Israel and Israel’s military actions in the Middle East seems increasingly poised to dominate electoral politics in the coming years.
    — semafor.com, semafor.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of dominate
Verb
  • The wave function evolves over time in a way that’s dictated by Schrödinger’s equation, named for Austrian physicist Erwin Schrödinger.
    — Philipp Strasberg, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The international agreement can’t dictate what happens on the ground, but its rules shape national conservation priorities and guide the funds that pay for conservation.
    — David Ginsburg, The Conversation, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of dictate
Verb
  • While independent venues shuttered during the pandemic, venue domineer Live Nation — which can much more easily close its doors for soundproofing or for an infectious outbreak — posted its best years in 2022 and 2023.
    — Katie Thornton, Rolling Stone, 20 Dec. 2024
  • When her father Philip dies, Rachel’s domineering mother, Carol, played by Ormond (see first look image), driven by the belief that Philip’s lifeless body will revive itself, forces her daughter to live with the corpse.
    — Nick Vivarelli, Variety, 13 June 2023
Definition of domineer
Verb
  • An architect’s struggle with Nevada’s state licensing board raises a broader question about how to regulate industry.
    — Wendy R. Anderson, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • The group says it’s shaped several must-haves by taking lessons from Washington’s failure to regulate social media.
    — Ashley Gold, semafor.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of regulate

Browse Nearby Words

tyrannically
tyrannize
tyrannized
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Cite this Entry

“Tyrannize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tyrannize. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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